The Albanese government would prefer a meeting between former PM Paul Keating and China’s foreign minister did not happen
Former prime minister Paul Keating will back Labor’s stabilisation of ties with Beijing when he holds talks with China’s foreign minister this week – a meeting the Albanese government would prefer does not to occur.
A senior government source said they wished Mr Keating was not meeting Mr Wang, but recognised they could not stop him from doing so.The government was not totally blindsided by the meeting request before it was made public on Monday. Mr Keating revealed Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet officials had contacted him “offering to facilitate the meeting and to make appropriate arrangements”.
“On my account, I have met ministers from other national governments for now just on 30 years and in the case of the Chinese, premiers, deputy premiers and ministers. Mr Keating’s more moderate tone comes after he unleashed on Senator Wong earlier this month over her speech on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, where she warned “destabilising, provocative and coercive actions” were threatening security in the Indo-Pacific.
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